Short Ribs over Couscous with Tangier Vegetables

By LRay

The Local Palate, December 2015/January 2016, page 136.

Ingredients

• Short Ribs
• 2 1/2 pounds boneless short ribs
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 large onion, cut into eighths
• 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1/2 head of fennel, cut into wedges
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons Tangier spice
• 1 teaspoon whole allspice
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1/2 orange zest
• 2 1/2 cups water
• Short Rib Orange Jus (recipe follows)
• Dukkah (recipe follows)
• Black Tea Honey Syrup (recipe follows)
• Medjool dates, for garnish
• Dried figs, for garnish
• Short Rib Orange Jus
• 2 cups reserved braising liquid
• 1 star anise
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• Dukkah
• 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
• 1 1/2 tablespoons nigella seeds
• 4 teaspoons coriander
• 2 teaspoons Maldon salt
• 1/3 cups dried shallots
• 1/4 cup dried garlic
• Black Tea Honey Syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 black tea teabag
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Couscous
• 1/4 cup onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 sprig thyme
• 2 strip orange zest
• 2 strip lemon zest
• Nub cinnamon stick
• 1 1/8 cup couscous
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Tangier Vegetables
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small red onion julienned
• 1/2 fennel bulb julienned
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Tangier spice

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from thelocalpalate.com

Preparation

Step 1

Directions

Photo by Rush Jagoe.

One day before, season raw short ribs with kosher salt and refrigerate in non-reactive dish, uncovered. Allow to cure for 12 to 18 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In large cast-iron skillet, heat canola oil on medium heat. Sear ribs on all sides, allowing meat to develop dark, golden crust. Place seared ribs in 9×13-inch casserole dish. Set aside.

Add onion, garlic, carrots, fennel, and ½ teaspoon of salt to same skillet used to brown ribs. Cook until vegetables are golden, about 5 minutes. Add Tangier spice, allspice, and fennel seeds and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Place into casserole dish with ribs, then add orange zest and enough water to cover ribs with liquid by ½-inch.

Cover with plastic wrap and then foil. Place in oven for 2½ hours. When finished, allow ribs to cool in braising liquid until dish has reached room temperature.

Remove ribs and strain liquid through fine mesh strainer. Reserve liquid for use in Short Rib Orange Jus sauce (recipe follows). Allow ribs to rest as you assemble remaining components of dish.

To assemble, increase oven temperature to 350 degrees. Slice ribs against grain and warm in oven until hot. Place over couscous and Tangier vegetables (recipe below). Apply 6 ounces Short Rib Orange Jus, drizzle of Black Tea Honey Syrup, and liberal sprinkling of Dukkah. Garnish with sliced Medjool dates and dried figs.

Short Rib Orange Jus

Combine all ingredients in small sauce pot.

Bring to simmer and cook until reduced by half.

Dukkah

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of food processor. Pulse until well combined.

Black Tea Honey Syrup

Bring water to boil in small sauce pan. Remove from heat, and add tea bag. Let tea steep

for 4 minutes.

Remove tea bag. Add honey and salt and stir until completely dissolved.

Couscous

Place onion, garlic, thyme, orange zest, lemon zest, and cinnamon stick in stock pot and cover with ½ inch water.

Mix couscous and ½ cup cold water in bowl until evenly damp. Allow moist couscous to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, then add 2 tablespoons butter, and salt. Mix gently until butter is evenly distributed.

Place couscous in steamer basket. Place basket in stock pot with onion and garlic mixture.

Place lid on pot and bring it to boil. Steam for 15 minutes. Carefully remove steamer basket from pot and pour couscous into large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons cold water and break up any clumps with your fingers.

Pour couscous back into steamer basket and return to pot. Steam with lid on for additional 20 minutes. Again, pour couscous into bowl. Use fork to fluff couscous as it cools for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and remaining butter.

Tangier Vegetables

Heat oil in large cast-iron skillet set over medium heat until it just begins to smoke. Add onion and fennel and cook until translucent, approximately 10 minutes.

Add salt and Tangier spice and cook, stirring frequently, for an additional 5 minutes.